Umbrella runner cap



April 21, 1953 B. A. HAYDU 2,635,616

UMBRELLA RUNNER CAP Filed May 15, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FlG.3.

INVENTOR.

BARTLEY A. HAYDU ATTORNEYS April 21, 1953 B. A. HAYDU 2,635,616

I UMBRELLA RUNNER CAP I Filed May 15, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

. HARTLEY A. HAYDU BY J ATTO RN EYS Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNIT ED STAT ES PATENT OFF ICE UMBRELLA RUNNEE GAF Bartley'A. Haydu, Detroit,,Mich.

ApplicationMay I5, 1950, SeriaflN'o. 161,960

4 Claims.

1 a V In themanufacture of umbrellas and, parasols, it is substantially standard practice to attach the ribs to the runner sleeve, which slidably engages the handle, by means of a wire connection. The wireis first threaded through the eyes of the ribs and is then engaged with a peripheral groove-in a radial flange on the runner, said flange being notched to receive the individual ribs andthe wire constituting the pivot of the hinge connection between each nb andthe runner. The ends ofthe wire are then twisted together to complete the attachment. With such' construction it is customary to conceal the attachment by a socalled runner puff, this being usually formed of' cloth which extends over the flange of the runner between ribs and is secured by sewing. How ever, considerable time of the workman is re-- quired for the attachment of such pufi' which adds to the cost of the construction.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction of concealing means for the runner which can be practically instantaneously applied and. will be securely retained.

To this end the invention consists in the construction of a runner cap as hereinafter set-forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a runner sleeve in engagement with the handle showing the ribs attached to the runner and my improved. concealing cap also engaged therewith;

Fig. 2 is a similar section through the cap detached from the runner on line 2-2, Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end thereof;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the opposite end;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified construction;

Fig. '7 is an elevation of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another modification;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 6 with the two parts detached; and

Fig. 10 is a similar view with the parts in locked engagement with each other.

Umbrella runners may be of various specific constructions but as illustrated in Fig. l, A is a tube or sleeve for sliding engagement with the handle B. At the upper end of the sleeve (to the right, Fig. '1) is a radial flange D having a peripheral groove therein and uniformly spaced notches D for receiving the ribs E. As shown the flange D is formed of two annular members D and D abutting against each other at their inner ends and fashioned to spread apart at 2 their outer ends toform a groove-DE- The: wire onwhichthe" ribs are strung'is' engaged with this groove, the individual ribsbeing in: engagement with the notches D and after the ends of' the wire are twisted together (not. shown) allof the ribs are securely attached to the runner. The members D D are secured to the sleeve A between a bead A and an end flange A the sleeve A at its opposite end is reinforced by a return bent portion which forms a bead A My'improved cap is-ad'apted to be engaged with the runner construction just described and is it-' self'of the following constructiom Preferably the isa radial flange G and extending axially from.

the outer end of this flanges are. spaced prongs G The proportion of the. parts is such that the prongs G loosely fit between the ribs of the. um-

' brella and cover the groove D and? the wire F;

To secure the cap in such position certain of the prongs G (every other oneas-shown in Fig. 3) are provided with inwardly extending hooks G for engaging the upper surface. of the flange D. To: permit of such engagementthe: prongs D are sufficiently flexible and resilient to be sprung outward over the periphery of said flange D. Also the ends of the prongs and the hooks G are rounded as indicated at G forming in efiect cams for springing the prongs outward when pressed against the flange D. If the runner has a bead or enlargement at its lower end, as indicated at A Fig. 1, this might interfere with the engagement of the cap with the runner. I have, however, avoided this difficulty by forming the por tion G with an inturned flange G at its lower end, the latter being of an internal diameter to fit against the outer surface of the tube A, while the remainder of the portion G is enlarged in internal diameter to pass over the bead A A series of radial slots G" are then formed through the portion G and beyond the same into the portion G. This will produce spring tongues G between said slots which can be deflected outwardly to pass the portion G over the bead A and will then return to bear again-st the sleeve A.

With th construction as above described all that is necessary to engage the cap G with the runner is to' first place it on the handle B then move it over the portion A of the runner, the

Also

spring tongues G8 being outwardly deflected to pass over the bead A It is then moved up on the sleeve A and turned to register the prongs (l with the spaces between ribs after which it may be forced to spring the hooked prongs over the periphery of the flange D. The hooks G will then form locking engagement with said flange to hold the cap in position.

In place of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I may form a cap H in two sections H and H on opposite sides of the center thereof. These portions have radially extending abutting faces H in a portion thereof and also have overlapping and undercut interlocking-portions H and H in another portion. The two sections may be sprung into engagement with each other after first being separately placed on opposite sides of the runner with prongs similar to prongs G extending between ribs. pressure applied to these two sections will then spring them sufficiently to interlock the portions H and H which will retain the cap in position. When thus engaged the two sections will be held from relative longitudinal movement by the projection of the portions H and H over the portions H as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Another modification is shown at I, Fig. 8, which is similar to the construction in Figs. 3 and 4 with the exception that the slots G spring tongues G and inturned flange Cl are omitted. A single slot I extends through the entire cross section of the annulus at one point. This permits of springing the portions on opposite sides of said slot away from each other a sufficient distance for engagement of the cap with the runner.

It has been stated that the ends of the wire P which engage the groove D are twisted together as illustrated at F, Fig. 7. The twisted end portion is then bent to extend axially between two adjacent ribs. To avoid interference between this twisted portion and the cap, I may omit one of the prongs G and turn the cap so that the space left by such omission will register with the twisted ends F.

What I claim as my invention is l. A cap for concealing the mechanical connection between the ribs and runner sleeve of an umbrella, said connection including a radially outwardly extending flange on said sleeve notched Radial to receive said ribs and peripherally grooved to receive a wire on which the ribs are strung retaining the same in their notches and forming pivots therefor, said runner sleeve also having a head at its lower end which enlarges the circumference thereof; said cap comprising an annular member formed of molded resiliently yieldable material adapted to be sprung into or out of interlocking engagement with said runner to closely fit the portion thereof adjacent said flange and including a radially extending portion immediately adjacent to said flange, and prongs extending axially over the periphery of said flange in the portions thereof between said ribs, thereby concealing the groove and the wire and an inturned hook on the upper end of one or more of said prongs adapted to be sprung over the periphery of said flange to retain said cap thereto.

2. The construction as in claim 1 in which said annular member is slitted axially throughout its length to permit of springing the same into interlocking engagement with said runner.

3. The construction as in claim 1 in which said annular member is formed of a plurality of separate segments having adjacent edge portions fashioned to be sprung into interlocking engagement with each other. 1

4. The construction as in claim 1 applicable to a runner sleeve having an outwardly extending bead at its lower end in which said annular portion of the cap has an axially extending sleeve of an internal diameter to pass over said bead with an inturned flange at its end, said sleeve being slitted to form resilient tongues permitting said inturned flange portions to be sprung over said bead to fit the runner sleeve above the same, thereby centering the cap.

BARTLEY A. HAYDU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 123,912 Jones Feb. 20, 1872 878,270 Blake Feb. 4, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 70,036 Germany July 29, 1893 

